Healthy Appetizer RecipesFor a Healthy Indulgence

Healthy appetizer recipes are good to know especially during the holidays and for family gatherings. If you have a bunch of people are coming to your house, and you'd like to serve something other than that melted imitation cheese dip, try some of these delicious - as well as good for you - recipes.

How Many Healthy Appetizer Recipes Do You Need?

A.J. Rathbun, author of the book, Party Snacks: 50 Simple, Stylish Recipes to Make You a Popular Party Host, suggests first figuring out approximately how many people will be attending your gathering. If it's a small party of four, then two snacks will do. If four to eight people plan on attending, then you will need at least three snacks. If you plan on having more then eight people, then set up a buffet with four or more snack choices.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips you buy at the store are certainly convenient, but they are also loaded with canola oil, an oil that may be touted as healthy, but actually leads to many health problems, including a reduced thyroid function.

Make your own fresh, hot tortilla chips instead, using the healthier coconut oil along with your choice of spices. You can simply add salt and garlic, or add taco seasoning for your own fresh taco-flavored chips.

These chips are baked rather than fried, making them lower in fat.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips Recipe

Place the coconut oil in a sauce pan and warm it over low heat until it turns to liquid. Cut the tortillas like you would a pie, cutting each tortilla into six wedged-shaped pieces. You can cut several tortillas at one time by stacking them together and cutting them like you would a pie with a sharp knife.

Brush each tortilla wedge with coconut oil and sprinkle with your choice of seasoning. Bake in an oven heated for 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes (watch your chips carefully after about five minutes to make sure they don't burn.

When the tortilla chips are brown at the edges, they are ready to enjoy.

How About a Crostini?

If you are looking for healthy appetizer recipes that not only incorporate healthy vegetables, but will also use up that surplus of eggs you may have on hand, you might consider this recipe from a nifty little book called Put an Egg on It by Lara Ferroni. This recipe is a twist on creamed spinach and toast, using instead kale - a leafy green loaded with nutrients - and poached eggs.

Six 3- to 4-inch thick baguette slices

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch kale, stems removed, roughly chopped

1/4 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 medium eggs

Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bread browns. Set aside. Then melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat and add the shallot and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until the shallots soften. Add the kale and cook for 6 to 8 minutes more until the kale is soft.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the vermouth, cooking it for about a minute. Then add the cream and mustard, stirring until they are well mixed. Cook for about 2 minutes and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Poach the eggs, using a slotted spoon to lift them from the water. Drain them on a paper towel. Then top each baguette slice with the kale mixture and the egg.

Olive Caviar

This is one of my favorite healthy appetizer recipes because it is so easy and so good. This recipe comes from the book, 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped eggplant, unpeeled

1 tablespoon water

1 16-ounce can of pitted ripe olives, drained

2 tablespoons chopped pine nuts

2 teaspoons chopped capers

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat and add the eggplant. Cook until the oil is absorbed, about three minutes. Add the water and cook, stirring until the eggplant is tender, another three minutes.

Put the eggplant and the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Serve with crackers and your other yummy healthy appetizer recipes.